Christmas Eve is the day or evening preceding Christmas Day, the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. Observed globally, Christmas Eve is often a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Both days hold immense cultural significance within Christendom and Western society, representing a pivotal period in the Christian calendar and Western traditions.
December 1914: Christmas Truce of World War I
On December 24, 1914, during World War I, an unofficial Christmas truce occurred between British and German troops. Soldiers exchanged greetings, gifts, and held joint burial services. The truce continued into 1915 despite disapproval from higher command.
1946: "Chinese and a Movie" Tradition Emerges
Around 1946, a new Christmas Eve tradition emerged, often involving dinner at a Chinese restaurant and watching a movie, sometimes the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life."
December 1968: Apollo 8 Genesis Reading
On December 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts read from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the Moon, in what was the most-watched television broadcast at the time.
1969: Commemorative Apollo 8 Stamp
In 1969, the US Postal Service released a stamp featuring the Earthrise photograph taken by Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve 1968 and the words "In the beginning God...".
1998: Christmas Day Declared a Holiday in Cuba
Following Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba in 1998, the Cuban government reinstated December 25th as a national holiday after several decades.
2009: Midnight Mass at the Vatican
In 2009, the Vatican scheduled the Midnight Mass to begin at 10 p.m. to accommodate the 82-year-old Pope Benedict XVI.